All posts tagged ‘chargers’

Into every Geek life, a little battery outage must fall. With phones, mp3 players, gaming systems (portable and not), cameras, Leapsters–not to mention the litany of conventional toys that require AA, AAA, or, heaven forfend, C or D batteries–keeping everything charged and ready is a challenge.

This year, Duracell is responding to the challenge with an initiative they’re calling Smart Power: An array of rechargable and charging solutions that are fast, somewhat green (well, Energy Star-rated, anyway), and stylish, that will drive the array of tools modern families enjoy. The Smart Power line comprises rechargeable batteries, power reserves, even flashlights, and a cordless charging deck for smartphones, iPods, and the like.

I have had a handful of these products for about a month. Some of them–the DayLite flashlight and the GoMobile battery charger–are simply nice upgrades over existing technology. Others, such as the Instant Charger, have proven themselves indispensable, and the MyGrid charging pad will be very interesting to some. Here are some quick thoughts:

The Instant Charger is, basically, an external battery for anything that can connect to a USB port. You charge it by connecting it to a computer’s USB port, and then use your device’s cable to draw power. This is very nice: I had a cache of iPod Touches that were completely drained, and the Instant Charger was able to power 5 of them back to life–and through the hourlong “erase iPod” process–with no trouble. I’ve also used it numerous times on my iPhone 3GS, and my kid’s Nano. The best part: I’ve weaned myself from my 3GS’s spare battery/case, and can use the 3G or wireless speeds, with push notifications on, without worrying about running out of power.Wired: Stylish, small. Powered by USB port. Has an on/off switch to hold its charge longer. Cheaper than a battery pack/case for the iPhone.

Tired: You need to have your device’s USB cord with. (There is an even smaller version of the device–the Pocket Charger–that has a mini-USB arm built right in, though of course that won’t work with most Apple stuff.)

The MyGrid charging pad is a metallic grid that lets you charge up to four devices at once, without cords. (Or, I guess, just the one cord for the pad itself.) It’s not quite “wireless”: You have to put your phone or MP3 player into a sleeve or a clip, depending on the device, and the nubs on the sleeve draw the charge. If I carried more devices (e.g., a phone and an iPod), or if we had multiple devices that needed to be charged daily, then I would probably be more excited about this.

Wired: 4 devices! Eliminates the rat’s nest of cords associated with smartphones/PDAs/iPods. Roughly as fast as charging with USB 2.0, and charges whenever the device is on the pad.

Tired: A little pricier. You have to commit to the sleeve or clip, and depending on your mix of devices, you will probably have to buy several of them. For example, sleeves will cost about the same, or even a little more than, one of the Instant Chargers. Then again, you don’t need a cord.

The Daylite LED Flashlight series is designed to give brighter light and longer battery life. They’re pitching it to the DIY crowd–it did well for me under our house.

Wired: It really is remarkably bright, with even light across its field. This is the flashlight your kid will want on Halloween to ward off the ghouls. It’s also very light, without feeling flimsy.

Tired: None, for the home market. (Well: It runs on batteries, so there’s always the chance you’ll hit the moment where you need a battery, but can’t find one in the dark.)

The GoMobile Charger holds 4 AA/AAA batteries, and can plug into a wall outlet or a car.

Wired: Recharges in about an hour. Uses Duracell’s pre-charged rechargeable batteries, which the company asserts will hold a charge for a year. Slim case makes it very portable–for example, it will fit in a car’s cupholder.

Tired: It is apparently designed to charge batteries in pairs. This doesn’t bug me too much, because that’s how we use batteries–or, at any rate, it’s all I used these for.